The Opelousas courier., 1887-01-22
A FISH MARKET.
THE GREATEST IN THE UNITED
STATES DESCRIBED.
Scenes at Fulton Slip in tho Metrop.
olis--How the Fish Are Re
ceived and Disposed OF
Market Hands.

olis--HOw the Fish Are Re
ceived and Disposed OF
Market Hands.
Fulton Fish Market, the. greatest and
widest known wholesale market for fish
in these [ nited States, forever faseinates
New Workers. Not a day passes in win:
ter or in summer that sWarms of people
of all types of New York life are not
found on the piers bounding Fulton slip,
gazing soulfully into the green lobster
cars and moro OF less a~ntiauatcd fishing
smacks viii line it. The market and
the fishermen constitutes a little world
by themselves, dirty and covered with
fish scales and slime, but clean money
comes out of it. The fishermen say the
marketmen get the lions share of the
profits, while the marketnen will quote
vessel after vessel whose catches they
hive sold, and whose crews have made
remarkably large seasons work.
Prices of fish 60 roaring III. to the top
notch when fsh are scarce, and the fish
erman who happens in port with a load
while the price is up, is the man who
Ieaps the profits. No one else can go
s'long'' of his market, or squeeze" the
lucky skipper.
A continuation of storms keeps the
fishermen off fairgrounds and promotes
a scarcity of fish. Many q skipper has
bumped into Fulton slip with an elonga-
ted face because of his small fare of fish,
to have it suddenly wreathed in smiles
when told to rattl out his cargo lively,
because there was not a scale of the sort
in the market. In times of scarcity mar
ketmen weigh closely and charge we'll.
When fish are plenty competition to sell
is fierce and full weight, at least, is as
sured customers.
Most of the fish sold out Of the smacks
wholesalers who consequently have no
further interest in the load than theil
percentages, a fact over whichthe fisher
men growl frequently. A vessel Is
ordinarily three or four days in unload.
ing. A few baskets Of fish are taken out
of her daily until Thursday, which is
the great shipping day at Fulton
market, West and South, in anticipation
Of the following Friday. During this
day q long, strong pull is made at the
vessels cargo, and il she is no cleaned
ont then, she is very speedily on Friday
morning, when ''fish day. opens in New
York. Probably an average of thirty
smacks per week are unloaded at Fulton
slip. The vessels sail at once for ice and
bait and the fishing ground. In two
weeks, with good luck, they are back
with fresh loads.
The life is one of peril and exposure,
and he is a fortunate fisherman, indeed,
who can earn from 800 to $500 net in a
twelve months, after an experience of
years. Most of the sinackmen come from
New London and Noank, in Connecticut,
and from Greenport, ON Long Island.
They go now for halibut and Goldfish ia
the fog-bound, tide-crossed shoals OF
Nantucket, Georges Banks, and even of
the coast of the provinces. In cold
weather cod are taken in great numbers
off Montauk, Block Island and Sandy
Hook.
Bluefsh are taken all along the coast.
Many of them come from the Hook,
where the shore Jerseymen rival the
smack fishermen in their pursuit. Other
varieties of fish come to market from all
points on the Atlantic seaboard, from.
Newfoundland to the Gulf of Mexico, and
from the great lakes. Many Of the fish
sold in the market come from Boston and
are bought and sold on speculation by.
the marketmen, who use the telegraph
literally when they find a demand for
something they do not happen totarted,
Some of the fresh fish are forwarded BY
the Sound lines nightly from Boston to
New York. Besides these sources of sup
ply Fulton Market il the receptacle into
which boats and trains from nearly every
waterside community within 100 miles Of
New.York are da " pouring streams OF
small f h, crabs, clans, oysters and the
like. The Q are mainly the product Of
the labors of resident fishermen.
Standing among the two score stands
Of the market on the opening of q Thurs
day morning ones first impulse is to
wonder where such monster piles of fish
go to. And on Friday, when The heaps
are still larger and long before neon have
van shed, our wondern1ent is changed I'M
to a respect for the institution which
handles such vast amount of human
the hour Of opening trade at the stands
through the market. This rings at 4 in
the summer and at ) In winter. None oil
the firms are allowed to sell an ounce OF
fish before it is heard. Sales are made
with greater or less frequency during the
rest Of the forenoon. There is little ex.
citement. Buyers Go little talking and
prices go up and down in accordance
with the laws of demand and supply.
The life of q market hand is not who'll
" rose colored. Their wages run from
SO to $25 Ger week. Their hours OF
work begin at 4 o'clock in the morning
Cat i on Fridays and close at 4 in the af-
ternoor. In time many of them become
interested III the firms under which they
have come up, and handsome fortunes
have been accumulated by some OF the
older marketmen.-Brooklyn Eoye.
A Wonderful Watch.
k AZ